إِنَّ اللَبيبَ الَّذي يَرضى بِعيشَتِهِ

لا مَن يَظَلُّ عَلى ما فاتَ مُكتَئِبا

The wise man who is content with his life

Is not one who grieves for what is past and gone

لا تَحقِرَنَّ مِنَ الأَقوامِ مُحتَقَراً

كُلُّ اِمرِئٍ سَوفَ يَجري بِالَّذي اِكتَسَبا

Do not despise the weak among men

For each person will reap what they have sown

لا تُفشِ سِرّاً إِلى غَيرِ اللَبيبِ وَلا ال

خَرقِ المُشيعِ لَهُ يَوماً إِذا غَضِبا

Do not reveal your secret to other than the wise

Nor to one who may spread it if they become upset

قَد يَحقِرُ المَرءُ ما يَهوى فَيَركَبُهُ

حَتّى يَكونَ إِلى تَوريطِهِ سَبَبا

A man may scorn what he desires and pursue it

Until it becomes the cause of his downfall

شَرُّ الأَخِلّاءِ مَن كانَت مَوَدَّتُهُ

مَعَ الزَمانِ إِذا ما خافَ أَو رَغِبا

The worst of companions is one whose friendship

Shifts with the times whenever fear or greed calls

إِذا وَتَرتَ اِمرَأً فَاِحذَر عَداوَتَهُ

مَن يَزرَعِ الشَوكَ لا يَحصُد بِهِ عِنَبا

If you abandon a man, beware his enmity

He who plants thorns does not harvest grapes

إِنَّ العَدُوَّ وَإِن أَبدى مُسالَمَةً

إِذا رَأى مِنكَ يَوماً فُرصَةً وَثَبا

Though the enemy may feign peace

If he spies a chance, he will pounce and leap